Razorback Roundup — Jan. 26

BY ANDRES FOCIL

RAZORBACK ROUNDUPJan. 26, 2009LIFT UP AMERICAA group of 89 Razorback student-athletes gave back to the community Saturday as they participated in the third annual Lift Up America event on the University of Arkansas campus. The Razorbacks partnered with Lift Up America, Tyson Foods and Feeding America to raise awareness for the need for hunger relief in America. Arkansas Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long was joined by John Tyson of Tyson Foods, Inc., Dave Hannah of Lift Up America and Marge Wolfe of the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank at a press conference kicking off the event inside the Broyles Center. Following the press conference, Razorback student-athletes loaded food and supplies onto trucks for the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank and various other local non-profit outreach agencies. Representatives from a number of Arkansas’ sports programs participated, including student-athletes from football, golf, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field and volleyball. With the help of Tyson Foods, Lift Up America and the Razorbacks, the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank will receive 15 tons of food. BASEBALL The Razorbacks received their first ranking of the pre-season at No. 22 in the prestigious Baseball America poll. The Hogs have their first scheduled practice on Feb. 1 and open the season against Washington State at Baum Stadium on Feb. 20.MEN’S BASKETBALL (12-5, 0-4) Arkansas lost its only game last week, falling to Auburn at home on Saturday, 73-51. Michael Washington had 12 rebounds, but was limited to eight points. Freshman Courtney Fortson just missed his fourth double-double of the season, finishing with 12 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Washington is the only student-athlete in the SEC averaging a double-double (16.8 ppg, 10.4 rpg). The Razorbacks play twice this week, hosting Alabama on Thursday at 8 p.m. in a game nationally televised by ESPN and traveling to LSU for a 4 p.m. game on Saturday televised by Fox Sports Net.WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (12-8, 1-4) Ceira Ricketts scored the most points by any Arkansas freshman against Tennessee with 22 points, and the 5-9 guard almost had her second straight double-double with nine rebounds. Ricketts’ effort allowed Arkansas to lead the 10th-ranked Lady Vols late in the game at Fayetteville before falling 76-67 on Thursday. Next game at Mississippi State, Ricketts was the top scoring starter with 13 points in Arkansas’ first SEC win of the year, 65-62. Junior post Ashley McCray came off the bench in both games with double digits. Heading into the week with only three points in SEC play, McCray averaged 13 ppg for the week and was Arkansas’ leading scorer with 14 at Mississippi State. Senior Ayana Brereton had a career high 12 rebounds at MSU with her first double-double of the year with 10 points. The Razorbacks are on the road at Vanderbilt Thursday then host Florida on Sunday.FOOTBALLArkansas head coach Bobby Petrino and members of the Razorback Football team were recognized at halftime of the Arkansas vs. Auburn men’s basketball game last weekend at Bud Walton Arena. The halftime ceremony celebrated the Razorbacks’ win over LSU in the annual Battle of The Boot. As part of the festivities, Petrino and Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long presented a check for $5,000 to interim Honors College Dean Suzanne McCray and members of the ROTC for the newly established veterans scholarship program. The scholarship contribution was earned when Arkansas’ last-second touchdown pass against LSU earned the Pontiac Game Changing Performance of the Week. The play was also a finalist for the Pontiac Game Changing Performance of the Year. MEN’S GOLF The Razorbacks return from the off-season Feb. 23 at the John A. Burns Intercollegiate in Hawaii for their first tournament of the spring.WOMEN’S GOLF Arkansas returns to action at the LSU/Cleveland Golf Classic in Baton Rouge, La., March 13-15.GYMNASTICS (3-1, 1-0) Arkansas got its first win in program history over No. 1 Florida, beating both the Gators and the top-ranked team for the first time. Junior Casey Jo Magee set a school record in the all-around with a 39.525, winning her third consecutive all-around title of the year. Arkansas set a school record on the vault with a 49.325 and had a season-best 49.375 on the floor behind freshman Jaime Pisani, who had a career-best 9.925, winning her second individual floor title. The Razorbacks travel to No. 5 Oklahoma Monday for a non-conference meet and host No. 9 Alabama Friday in Barnhill Arena.MEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD Arkansas picked up one automatic and four provisional qualifying marks at the Razorback Invitational. Junior Dorian Ulrey clocked the nation’s No. 2, the SEC’s No. 1 and the No. 8 Arkansas all-time mark in the mile with his 3:57.60. He also punched his ticket to the NCAA Championships. Freshman Tarik Batchelor improved his provisional mark in the long jump to 25-6 and picked up his first provisional mark in the triple jump with a 52-6.5. He is ranked in the top three in the SEC in both events and third nationally in the triple jump. Arkansas’ DMR clocked the nation’s fastest time in the event with a 9:44.66.WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD Arkansas received season and career bests in the long jump, pole vault, 800 meters and the mile at the Razorback Invitational. Junior Katie Stripling won the pole vault for the second straight meet. She improved her automatic-qualifying height to 13-11.25. She leads the SEC, ranks second nationally and now holds the second-best mark in school history.SWIMMING AND DIVING (9-1, 3-1) The No. 19 Razorbacks defeated the Kansas Jayhawks, 165-135, Thursday at the Arkansas Natatorium. The win marked only the second time in program history the Razorbacks have posted consecutive dual meet wins over the Jayhawks. Junior Yi Ting Siow was dominant once again, setting a school record and career best time of 1:01.68, an NCAA ‘B’ cut time, in the 100 breast. Siow also won the 200 breast (2:12.04) and 400 IM (4:18.58), and is undefeated in her first two meets with the Razorbacks. Next, the Razorbacks host Drury at 6 p.m. on Feb. 6 in the Arkansas Natatorium.MEN’S TENNIS The Hogs traveled to Auburn last weekend to take on Auburn, LSU and Virginia Tech at the Auburn Spring Classic. The team went a combined 17-17 over the three-day event in singles and doubles. Senior Blake Strode (3-0), ranked No. 15, went undefeated in singles. The No. 14 duo of Strode and Matt Hogan (2-1) defeated two top 20 teams at the Spring Classic, earning victories over No. 20 Nicolast Delgado de Robles and Luka Somen from Virginia Tech, and No. 10 Alexey Tsyrenov and Tim Puetz of Auburn. On Tuesday, the Hogs face Oral Roberts and UMKC in a double header at the Dills Indoor Stadium. First serve against the Golden Eagles is at 10 a.m. and play begins against UMKC at 5:30 p.m. WOMEN’S TENNIS (2-0) The 14th-ranked Razorbacks defeated Saint Louis, 7-0, and No. 34 Tulsa, 6-1, over the weekend. The Razorbacks finished 16-2 overall in individual matches as senior Aurelija Miseviciute won her 105th career singles match at Arkansas and is now two wins away from tying the all-time record. The Razorbacks play host to SMU Wednesday at 3 p.m. before hosting first and second round matches of the ITA Indoor Championships.OLYMPIC SPORTS PRESS CONFERENCETuesday at 1 p.m. in the Barnhill Arena interview room.